‘Good’ news for Aylesbury Junior School after rapid improvements
A Junior school in Aylesbury has gone from ‘requiring special measures’ to ‘Good’ overall in less than two years in a report published Friday, July 17 by Ofsted.
Bedgrove Junior School was awarded ‘good’ in three areas of assessment – pupils’ achievement, quality of teaching and leadership and management and ‘outstanding’ for behaviour and safety of pupils.
Inspectors visited the school over two days in June, where they observed lessons and met with students and staff as part of the inspection.
The School has “rapidly improved” since its last inspection in July 2013, where they were graded ‘inadequate’ and requiring special measures after pupils were under-achieving and management systems were not thought to be effective.
In the new report Ofsted commented on the quality of teaching at Bedgrove, writing: “Teaching is good overall and a growing amount is outstanding. Pupils enthusiasm to learn and motivation to achieve well create a vibrant atmosphere around the school.” The report also highlights pupil’s behaviour as “brilliant”.
Headteacher, Gwen Tong has been especially praised by inspectors for her “excellent leadership” to raise the quality of teaching, writing: “Building on the excellent work of the Interim executive head teacher she has rapidly improved the school so that it is a place where every pupil matters, where teaching is good and improving, and where pupils achieve well.
“The school is very well placed to improve further and parents recognise the difference the headteacher has made.”
In addition, Ofsted commented on how the school is “an extremely caring place where pupils are kept safe and every pupil’s welfare matters greatly.”
Mrs Tong said: “We were very pleased with the report and felt that it is an accurate reflection of the school. We are determined we are going to become an outstanding school over time and we felt that this inspection was really a good signal of the progress that the school has made.
“It’s always pleasing when Ofsted is able to recognise the hard work put in by all the staff and pupils of the school.”
Inspectors also acknowledged the school’s highly effective governors commenting: “They know the school well, challenge leaders regularly and monitor improvements closely.”
Zahir Mohammed, Buckinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said: “The results speak for themselves. We have a lot to be proud of with the pupils, staff and governors at Bedgrove Junior School having put in so much hard work to turn the fortune of this school around in just under two years.
“I am very pleased that this work has now been recognised in their latest Ofsted report. I would like to congratulate everyone involved for their hard work and service.”
Areas Ofsted identified for improvement to attain an outstanding grade include, making sure pupils make rapid progress during Year 3; further accelerating pupils’ progress in mathematics, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.
To view the full report visithttp://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/110280